29 August 2014

9 ways to undermine Christianity in the media

I
had been pondering how the media –and the BBC in particular –treat
Christianity both in this country and worldwide and shortly afterwards a
slightly bizarre question came to me: how would the devil use the media to
undermine the Christian faith? Then, rather in the manner of CS Lewis's Screwtape
Letters I found myself imagining the following memo of advice from the
devil to the particular demon responsible for influencing the BBC on some
guidelines for how to influence the media in undermining Christianity.

1)
Try to ensure that people ignore Christianity altogether. This is not as easy
as it sounds. The Christian faith is a matter of profound importance for many
people. Some 70 per cent of the British population still believe it is the
faith that they hold to and most of the values that people respect come from
it. Nevertheless, try to avoid any mention of it. Remember, there is always
something else more important to talk about: a footballer who has broken an
ankle or a dog that has learned to surf.

2)
If any aspect of the Christian faith must be discussed then a number of
strategies are useful. Make sure you treat the faith negatively. Highlight
disagreement and disputes, especially over trivia. It is absolutely vital that
people are persuaded that Christianity is no more than some sort of series of
intellectual beliefs that are good for nothing except argument. Suppress
absolutely any hint that the faith might have been a force for good over
centuries.

3) When matters to do with the faith are presented, make sure that
the tone is gently patronising. A weak smile of condescension can work wonders.
Audiences need to be gently persuaded that whatever Christianity is about, it
is of no real importance and that it reflects something that has been
completely and utterly discredited.

4) Try to ensure that utterly inappropriate
people are found to present the case for the faith. Lamentably, from our point
of view, there are many bishops and scholars who are capable of presenting an
informed, reasoned and powerful argument for Christian beliefs. Make sure they
are never contacted for an opinion. Try to get people who don't believe what
they are defending, or are rambling. If you can't do that, then –for
television at least –try to ensure that whoever defends Christianity has nasal
hair, a bizarre dress sense or a speech impediment. It is important that it is
universally believed that the only people who believe in the faith are the
elderly and the intellectually challenged.

5) If you must –and please try not to –display
church gatherings on television please be sensitive. Please avoid dynamic,
lively and youthful congregations. Remember we must portray the Church as
obsolete and irrelevant. Remember this year's marketing slogan: 'Christianity:
it's yesterday's thing'.

6) If some sort of Christian input is expected, at
Christmas or Easter for example, try to find someone with an odd view and make
sure that they are allowed to present their position. Let irrelevancy rule.
Make people think that Christianity is all about Mary Magdalene, the location
of the tomb, the number of the wise men or the true date of Christmas. Do not
on any account let them consider the possibility that it might all be true and
of vital importance.

7) Try to avoid questions of right and wrong in any
form except at the simplest possible level. What we want is for people to think
that it is society alone that makes moral standards. As you are aware, the
grand strategy of hell is to bring about a situation in which television and
the media have completely replaced the church as the source of moral guidance.

8) If these approaches are challenged, just have
our people utter the words 'political correctness'. Make sure that everybody
understands that because Christianity is the traditional and majority view in
Britain it cannot, by definition, be defended. Make people feel guilty about
defending the truth.

9) In the meantime, continue promoting the
production of more and more programmes which are mindless and devoid of any
ethical basis. Dulling minds is a very helpful step towards damning souls.

Having
sketched out this letter of advice, I realised that it was ridiculously
hypothetical. Or was it?